Norton Shore's Fire Marshall ordered 12 apartments at a Roosevelt Park apartment building vacated Monday evening because of concerns the building was unsafe to occupy.

The Lakecrest Park Apartments building was damaged by a May fire that left pipes and wires fully exposed for nearly three months before workers began repairing the building this weekend.

Some tenants of 3080 Maple Grove Road will be staying at the Victory Inn & Suites until the management from the apartment building can find them another apartment.

"I'm angry, I'm hurt, I'm confused," said Denise Stapleton as she prepared to collect her clothing and grandchildren before heading to the hotel. "If they knew they had to get the building fixed, why didn't they do it sooner. It doesn't make any sense."

The move came three days after Roosevelt Park city officials declared the building "unsafe for human occupancy," and ordered the structure repaired by Monday afternoon.

Metropolitan Properties of America, the Boston-based company that owns the complex, could not be reached for comment.

Despite efforts by construction workers to repair the ceiling and fire separation wall in the southern end of the building, a Monday afternoon deadline for repairs couldn't be met.

Chronicle file photo/Cory MorseA sign posted on the door of building 3080 at Lakecrest Park Apartments Thursday. The city of Roosevelt Park has deemed the structure "unsafe for human occupancy." Enlarge photo

"They weren't able to fix it in time," said Tim Villanueva, Roosevelt Park's building inspector. "I don't know what's going to happen next."

Villanueva said the repairs must be made before the city deems the building safe.

"I don't know at what point their decisions are made," he said. "It was the apartment complex's job to fix what was wrong."

Stapleton said the complex's management told her she would be able to move into another apartment within the Lakecrest complex by Wednesday morning.

"It's very inconvenient," she said. "They didn't give us any money for food and there's no stove in the room so I had to buy pizzas. We all live on a fixed income and we don't have money hanging around."

Angela French said she wasn't entirely surprised or unprepared by the notice that she had to vacate her apartment.

She had already began preparing to move in with her boyfriend after learning the city had deemed the building unsafe last Thursday.

"I wasn't shocked, I guess I kind of figured it was coming," she said. "That's why I was already working on getting out of there."

Despite being somewhat prepared, French was still upset by the news.

"I think they should have taken action earlier instead of waiting so long because there are a lot of disturbed tenants right now," she said. "Here it is, three months after the fire and they're just staring to do work around here."